


Move me, baby

by Gandalfgirl579



Category: Nikolai Series - Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo, The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Ballet, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Ballet, Dancer AU, F/F, F/M, Femslash, Grishaverse, Zoyalina, zoyalai
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:41:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26528404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gandalfgirl579/pseuds/Gandalfgirl579
Summary: He could watch her all day.Being a soloist with the Os Alta Ballet Company, that was saying quite a bit. Though the rest of the company had gone home for the night some hours ago, here he sat, watching her, both still in their leotards and tights.A ballet AU crossing the entire Grishaverse, though mostly focusing on Nikolai and Zoya. Less a plotted story than a collection of drabbles.
Relationships: Nikolai Lantsov/Zoya Nazyalensky, The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova & Zoya Nazyalensky, The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova/Alina Starkov, Zoya Nazyalensky & Alina Starkov, Zoya Nazyalensky/Alina Starkov
Comments: 20
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

He could watch her all day.

Zoya was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

Being a soloist with the Os Alta Ballet Company, that was saying quite a bit. Though the rest of the company had gone home for the night some hours ago, here he sat, watching her, both still in their leotards and tights.

Zoya was presently dancing Giselle's movements from just before her suicide, and even without the music meant to accompany the dance, Nikolai felt ready to cry. "It really is a crime," he said to her, his voice loud in the empty mirror-lined studio, "that they didn't give you the part."

"It's Baghra's last performance," Zoya said, not missing a beat as she executed a flawless _pirouette_. "Once she's gone, I'll be the principal."

Nikolai laughed at her, and she shot him a dirty look as she spun. "Don't sound so eager!"

"Or what?"

How he adored her obstinance. "Morozova won't be happy if he hears you celebrating his mother's retirement."

Zoya stopped, stiffened at the mention of Morozova. She worshipped him, Nikolai knew. 

"You deserve better than the _corps_ ," he said. 

"And I'll have it," Zoya said, huffing and joining him on the bench in front of one of the mirrored walls. "As soon as she's gone."

"You sure?" Nikolai asked, watching with marked interest as she pulled her hair down from its high bun, long, black waves falling loose down her back. She was beautiful. How Morozova could look at anyone else when she was in the room was beyond him. "Rumor has it he has an eye on the Starkov girl."

Hiking one leg up onto the bench so she could unlace the ribbons of her pointe shoe, Zoya said, "Then he's a fool."

"Aren't we all?"

"Just him," Zoya said, "and you."

Nikolai took that as a compliment.


	2. Chapter 2

"You look tired, Nazyalenksy."

Zoya stiffened, letting Morozova guide her left leg higher. Her _arabesque_ was a little low today, she knew. 

"Overworking yourself to get my attention?" He didn't sound particularly impressed. He rarely did. 

"I'm not overworking myself," Zoya said, arching her back and extending her arms. She kept her hands as soft as she could. "This routine is required for a principal dancer."

She saw Nikolai frown from his place in the corner. The three of them were the only ones left in the studio. 

Morozova asked, "Are you the principal, Nazyalensky?"

"I deserve to be." 

"Is that what you think?" Morozova asked. He was circling her like a vulture, and she suppressed a shiver. "Your technique is perfect, I'll give you that."

Bringing her leg down to stand in flawless fifth position, Zoya said, "Is that not enough?"

"It's about emotion," Morozova replied, then turned away, glancing at Nikolai for a moment. "And there's only one thing you're emotional about."


	3. Chapter 3

Alina Starkov was a joke. 

Her technique was a mess. Zoya's was far superior, and while the class was working on their warm-ups, Zoya set out to prove it. She stood, gripping the barre and lifting one leg high in _arabesque_. Her back arched tight, her extension flawless. 

Morozova didn't even glance her way, silently striding his way along the barre, making adjustments here and there.

Zoya hated him, and then hated herself for how much she adored him. She huffed. 

Still he didn't look at her, and at her side, Nikolai stifled a chuckle. 

She shot him a dirty look, which darkened further when he winked at her. "You're distracting me," she hissed.

"Wouldn't you rather pay attention to me than to her?"

Though Zoya's eyes rolled, she didn't disagree. Nikolai was a perfectly capable dancer, less so than Alina, but she didn't mind watching him. She didn't mind when he moved behind her, touching her waist as if to lift her. She did her best not to shiver. Again, softer, she said, "You're distracting me."

"Do you mind?"

Alina had stopped mid-stretch, watching them. 

"No," Zoya said, leaning into him. "I don't mind at all."


	4. Chapter 4

"I think Zoya hates me." Alina had her arms wrapped around herself as she spoke, watching as Zoya did her warm-ups.

From where he sat on the floor, his back to the mirrored wall, Nikolai laughed, "She hates everyone."

"Not you," Alina pointed out, joining him on the floor. "Or Morozova."

"I think she just hates us less," Nikolai disagreed, and smiled when Zoya glared at them from across the room. 

"She's so talented, though," Alina said. "I hear Morozova wants to make her principal dancer after the recital."

Looking puzzled, Nikolai said, "She's heard that he wants you for principal."

"Me?" Alina's startled face was almost cute. "But she's so much better than me!"

Nikolai laughed again, "That's what she said, too."


	5. Chapter 5

“You were magnificent.” The words were spoken against Alina’s throat, Zoya’s lips slipping wetly over pale skin.

The dressing room smelled of sweat and roses, and Alina pressed Zoya back against the vanity, hiding her face against the dark, slick skin at Zoya’s neck. “So were you.” She was still struggling for breath.

“Oh, please.” It came out sounding like a curse. “No one cares about Myrtha.” Zoya rolled up onto her toes, using the added height to seat herself on the vanity. If it hadn’t been for the pointe shoes she was still wearing, she wouldn’t have been tall enough. “No one was even looking at Giselle, I’ll have you know.” She wrapped her legs around Alina’s hips, the movement only slightly hindered by their skirts. “Bathilde completely stole the show.” Zoya reached for Alina’s hips, pulling her so close that their sweat-damp chests pressed tight against each other. Their hearts were still pounding. “It must be nice having the spotlight.”

Curling her arms around Zoya’s shoulders and sliding one hand beneath the back neckline of her costume, Alina huffed, “You sound jealous.”

Zoya hummed and pressed her nails into Alina’s hips just hard enough for it to hurt. “I am.”

“Don’t be.” Alina lifted her hands, placing one at Zoya’s hip, the other at her neck, thumb rubbing at the makeup there to reveal one of last night’s hickies. Genya had been furious about it, but had managed to hide it just fine.

Zoya shivered, tangling one hand into Alina’s hair and pulling her head to expose her throat. It was a threat of the most delicious kind. “Why not?” Zoya didn’t wait for a reply, her eyes dark. The adrenaline rush of a recital always did this to her. “You’re always dancing, or thinking about dancing, or hurting from dancing.” As if she wasn’t the same. “What’s left for me, Lee?”

“Everything.” Alina’s hands rose to carefully undo the high, tight bun that kept Zoya’s hair back. “They get the dancing.” A few pins removed, and Zoya’s dark curls came tumbling down. “You get everything else.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit disconnected from the rest of the AU, but it sure was fun to get the girls together!


	6. Chapter 6

"If you drop me--" Zoya gasped when Nikolai lifted her, his hands firm at her waist.

"I won't, I promise," he laughed, setting her down again, twirling her in a pirouette. "I would never drop you."

For some reason, she believed him. "I still can't believe they cast you as the prince," she said, keeping hold of one of his hands and lifting a leg high in arabesque.

"Leg higher," Aleksander called from across the studio, where he was idly reading the newspaper, not even looking up. "If you want to be principal, you have to be the best."

Softly, walking around Zoya while she remained en pointe as she spun, Nikolai said, "You are the best." There was something in the way she looked at him that had her believing that he truly thought her the best. What she wouldn't give to kiss him. After rehearsal, she told herself. "Don't listen to him."

Her heart swelling in her chest, her cheeks warmed, Zoya murmured, "And you're a fool." He really was, and he grinned when she leaned away from him in a quick dip, his hands tight at her hips. Beneath her leotard, she was still bruised from the last time they had met after outside the studio to forget their collective problems. "Aleksander knows what he's talking about."

"Oh, Aleksander!" Nikolai laughed, his tone light and teasing. "Morozova hasn't danced a day in his life."

It was true, and Zoya danced away, stopping in position for Nikolai to follow.

He did, and she did another elegant pirouette in his arms, her lifted leg extending into another arabesque, his hands supporting her. He always supported her, even outside the studio. They may have bickered, but she was the only man she would accept as her partner.

There was a series of jumps next, their movements perfectly matched, ending in another spin, then a low dip, and the music coming from Nikolai's phone ended.

Were they at the theatre, the curtain would have come down to applause. "Not quite worthy of a standing ovation," Zoya teased, "but not bad."

Glancing to where Aleksander sat, Nikolai pressed a quick kiss to the corner of Zoya's mouth, grinning when she flushed a bit in response. "You were perfect," he said, pulling her closer. She could smell sweat and cologne and shampoo on him, and she wanted nothing more than to stay this close to him forever. "We were perfect."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so excited for this! I danced ballet for over a decade, so to write about it, in addition to writing about characters I love, is a real treat! And as I'm sure you all know, the title comes from a Hozier song! 
> 
> As always, I must mention that I go by [Zoya-inthesnow](http://zoya-inthesnow.tumblr.com/) over on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments and requests and prompts there! :) Hit me up!


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